The Denver Broncos (finally) have another player in the NFL Network’s “Top 100 Players of 2017” list, and someone very near him has come out and called the list a joke.
Aqib Talib dropped three slots from his spot in 2016 to No. 37 overall on the annual list, compiled by NFL Network.
.@AqibTalib21 is 1 of 3 cornerbacks to make the Pro Bowl in each of the last 4 seasons#NFLTop100 pic.twitter.com/oF3UubFnwZ
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) June 6, 2017
Talib earned his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl nomination and was named a first-team All-Pro for the first time in his career. Pro Football Focus named him their top cornerback after he allowed zero touchdowns during the 2016 season.
Here’s what Talib’s peers had to say about playing against one of the most-feared cornerbacks in the league:
"People tend to remember their encounters with [@AqibTalib21]." #NFLTop100 https://t.co/nfPpnglKHA
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) June 6, 2017
Meanwhile, J.J. Watt, who came in at No. 35 on the list, had some harsh words for his peers unrelated to Talib.
I played 3 games… this list is a joke. https://t.co/KnKDX1p816
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) June 6, 2017
Chris Harris, also a first-team All-Pro alongside his teammate Talib, chimed in as well about Watt.
Jj got voted 😭😭 come on y'all gotta do better
— Chris Harris (@ChrisHarrisJr) June 6, 2017
The rankings are based on an off-season poll organized by the NFL, whereby players vote on their peers based on their projected performance for the next NFL season.
That final part seems to be lost on fans and players alike. Perhaps the NFL Network needs to rethink its criteria and make it a top 100 list based on a player’s previous season performance. That seems to be how everyone evaluates their place on the list anyway.